There was confusion as a fuel tanker on Saturday night fell and exploded at the popular Molete Market in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, killing many people, burning vehicles, three houses, seven commercial motorcycles, three commercial tricycles and goods worth millions of naira.
The exact number of casualties resulting from the inferno have remained conflicting , however, eyewitnesses put the figure at around 70.
A motorcyclist who was one of those present at the scene, said corpses were initially deposited in two commercial buses sequel to the incident, before evacuation for burial.
Witnesses further said thatn o fewer than 17 vehicles, severely burnt beyond repairs, were counted. They said that Inside one of the burnt vehicles, which seemed like a private car were the body of a pregnant woman and two others alleged to be her children.
An eyewitness said the husband of the pregnant woman had just gone out of the car to buy bread when the fire from the burning tanker caught up with the woman and the children inside. On getting back to the horrible scene, out of shock, the husband reportedly collapsed and was taken to a private hospital where he was being attended to as at press time.
According to the Nation many of those who died were those who initially took refuge inside some nearby shops when the fire started, but were later trapped inside.
Subsequently, men of the state fire service tried to evacuate the fallen tanker and other vehicles affected while the police and other security operatives were seen restoring order within the vicinity.
Some eyewitnesses reported that the fire sprung up when a truck carrying fuel fell at the busy Molete roundabout. They disclosed that most of the deaths recorded were the roadside traders who continued to violate the state government’s order to vacate and move to the modern markets built by the government.
Mr. Adewuyi Ajani (65), a retired school principal, who had lived all his life in the neighborhood, said it was the fifth time that such an incident would occur, with the first incident dating as far back as August 23, 1971. He stated that before Saturday’s tragedy, three other similar incidents happened in 1975, 1987 and 1994.
Mr. Ayodeji Bobade, the Public Relations Officer, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, , said an eight-year-old girl was first rushed to the hospital, having suffered high degree burns, six other men and four women were also brought to the hospital late on Saturday in severe conditions, with one of them confirmed dead later.
“Eleven people were brought here with a girl, all suffering from severe burns. One of them died over the night, while others are receiving treatment at the burns unit of the hospital.”
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